UK customer takes delivery of BMW 1M Valencia Orange

While we are anxiously waiting to take delivery of our BMW 1M in Valencia Orange, a lucky UK customer already has in position the new …

While we are anxiously waiting to take delivery of our BMW 1M in Valencia Orange, a lucky UK customer already has in position the new “baby-M”. The real life photos show us an interesting shade of Valencia Orange, a paint that is equally loved and hated by BMW fans. I personally struggled with the choice between Alpine White and the unique orange, mostly due to the latter color looking different under certain light conditions.

But judging by these photos, the VO paint can look interesting at times and it will be a trademark for the 1M in the history of M vehicles.

The BMW 1M will reach US dealerships as early as next week, coinciding with the first press test drives at the Monticello race track. The 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe will go on sale with a base MSRP of $47,010.

Here is a quick recap of the 1M highlights.

The new 1M builds atop the 135i Coupe and it said to have the perfect balance. It is 71 inches (1803mm) wide – 4.8 inches (122mm) wider than its 1988 M3 ancestor – yet only 1.3 inches (33mm) longer at 172.4 inches (4379mm) long. The new 1 Series M Coupe weighs in at 1,495kg DIN (3,296 lbs, preliminary), and features a 104.7-inch (2659mm) wheelbase, three inches longer than the 1988 M3. Front and rear track widths are exactly the same on the 1 Series M Coupe at 60.7 inches (1542mm) each. Compared to the 2011 BMW 135i Coupe, the 1 Series M Coupe is 0.2 inches (5mm) longer, 2.1 inches (53mm) wider, 0.5 inches (13mm) taller, and rides on the same 104.7 inch (2659mm) wheelbase.

With 340 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque, was clocked at 1:14.1 minutes around Nurbugring Hockenheim, faster than the M3 Coupe with DCT gearbox, 1:14.2 minutes. The “baby-M” was also nearly a second faster than the Audi TT RS (1:15) and the RS5 Coupe (1:15.3). The Porsche Cayman S with manual transmission fell a bit short as well 1:14.3, but the PDK driven Cayman S lapped below the 1 Series M Coupe 1:13.9. As an interesting tidbit, the 1M was only 0,6 seconds slower than M3 E46 CSL.

In the U.S., 1M allocation remains low and customers continue to struggle with finding a dealership that has any units available. As we advanced in the year, it is expected that BMW will slightly increase the allocation.